Consumer Media Release
4 December 2014
Melbourne innovators win the $100,000
Janssen Health and Technology Challenge (HaTCH) 2014
A team of Melbourne health tech innovators has won the inaugural Janssen HaTCH challenge –
and will receive a $100,000* grant to accelerate the development of their idea ‘Footprints’ with
Janssen Australia. The announcement was made at an awards dinner held in Sydney yesterday
evening.
Footprints, a sensor system developed by Quanticare Technologies, has the ability to predict
falls in the elderly before they occur. The intention is that the device, when affixed to a walking
frame, will continuously monitor a senior’s walking quality, informing doctors when
interventions may be needed.
Entrepreneur Wesley Loh said; “Currently our healthcare system pays $8.4b for injuries caused
by falls1. Footprints can help reduce these costs by preventing falls. The device may also improve
the quality of life of Australian seniors and could allow them to remain independent for longer.”
Judging panellist and chair of the World Medical Association Council Dr Mukesh Haikerwal AO,
said that Footprints demonstrated an innovative approach to addressing a critical challenge
facing Australia’s ageing population.
Commenting on the high calibre of the dozens of competition entries received, Mr Chris
Hourigan, Managing Director, Janssen Australia New Zealand said: “It has been encouraging to
see the enthusiasm in which the start-up community embraced the inaugural HaTCH challenge.
We look forward to continuing to work with this growing area in Australian healthcare.”
Winner Quanticare Technologies, said the grant will help accelerate the development of
Footprints, bringing it to market sooner and benefitting Australia’s seniors community much
earlier. “Janssen HaTCH has provided a unique environment to support the growing health
technology start-up space in Australia. Opportunities like this are key to generating needed
discussion on how technology can help improve the ways in which health and healthcare is
delivered to Australians”, Mr Loh said.
Another finalist team from Melbourne, Life Picture, was awarded the first ‘Janssen HaTCH
Booster Award’- providing the team with coaching to assist the initiative to thrive. Life Picture
brings together urinary biomarkers with smartphone technology and may allow individuals to
detect early signs of diseases via their smart phone app.
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About HATCH
The Janssen Health and Technology Challenge (HaTCH) 2014 was open to all entrepreneurs,
start-ups and community organisations with innovative ideas to help improve the Australian
healthcare system. In October, a judging panel announced four finalists who workshopped their
ideas with the support of the judges and mentors from the health business community.
Entrants needed to demonstrate how their innovation / idea has the ability to help improve
Australia’s health, specifically through: early disease detection and monitoring; access to and
sharing of health information; and connectivity between Australians and healthcare providers
and services.
Entries were judged by following prominent leaders in the Australian health and business
community including:
• Dr Mukesh Haikerwal AO: Current chair of the Council of the World Medical
Association, former president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA);
• Amit Vohra: Senior executive in the Australian health sector, one of the Top 50
Influential People in General Practice (Australian Doctor,2010)2;
• Cyrus Allen: Senior corporate executive specialising in customer experience and
advisor to a number of start-ups;
• Mick Liubinskas: Technology entrepreneur, investor and advisor. His most successful
companies are Oomph (iPad publishing) and Spreets;
• Chris Hourigan: Managing Director Janssen Australia New Zealand.
• Jonathan Mullings: Executive Director Health Care Solutions and Customer Excellence,
Janssen Australia New Zealand
To view all finalists details visit www.janssenhatch.com.au #JanssenHatch
* Under the terms and conditions, payment of the $100,000 is subject to the winner, Footprints,
entering into a collaboration agreement with Janssen.
-EndsIssued by Cube on behalf of Janssen-Cilag Pty Limited (Janssen Australia), pharmaceutical
companies of Johnson & Johnson.
For further information please contact: Anita Kean (anita@cube.com.au 0413 618 742).
At Janssen, we collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. What matters most to us is a
healthy outcome for each patient. We’re committed to providing safe and effective medicines as well as
the services and support that contribute to healthy outcomes. Now the fastest growing of the top 10
pharmaceutical companies globally, we’re focusing our unique model of innovation on some of the most
devastating diseases and the most complex medical challenges of our time, across five therapeutic areas;
Immunology, Oncology, Neuroscience, Cardiovascular Medicine, and Infectious Disease. More information
can be found at www.janssen.com.au
Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd, ABN 47 000 129 975, 1-5 Khartoum Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113
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References
1. Australian Ageing Agenda 2014, Seniors Stuck in Hospital awaiting aged care inquiry hears,
http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2014/10/10/seninors-stuck-in-hospital-awaitingaged-care-inquiry-hears/ (accessed 03 December 2014).
2. Australian Doctor, 2010, pdf version http://www.crikey.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2010/07/AD_TOP50_10.pdf (accessed 15 September 2014).
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